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Alma Fakhre, a Lebanese-Grenadian-French artist, captivates audiences at the Venice Biennale’s Grenada Pavilion with her soul-stirring, boundary-defying artwork that celebrates the interconnectedness of humanity.
Alma Fakhre, a visionary artist whose roots span the globe, has made a mark on the art world with her thought-provoking and emotionally charged creations. Born to Lebanese parents, raised in the idyllic Caribbean island of Grenada and a holder of French citizenship, Fakhre’s artistic journey is a testament to the power of cultural diversity and the universal longing for spiritual connection.
Alma’s formative years were spent navigating the serene landscapes of Grenada and the vibrant streets of Beirut, two contrasting yet equally influential environments that would shape her artistic sensibilities. Her secondary education in the Swiss Alps and her time in England further enriched her global perspective, setting the stage for a nomadic lifestyle that would take her to various corners of the world, including New York, Paris and Australia.
Despite her constant travels, Grenada remained a steadfast anchor in Alma Fakhre’s life, a place she consistently returned to, seeking solace and inspiration. However, no matter where she found herself, Alma was invariably met with the question, “Where are you from?” This recurring inquiry sparked a profound realization within the artist—that every human being, in some way, is in exile, yearning for a sense of belonging and connection to a higher source.
Fakhre’s deep-seated understanding of the collective human experience is beautifully reflected in her artwork, which seamlessly blends spirituality with the beauty of the world. Her creative process is a meditative journey, a surrender to a semi-trance state in which her intuition guides her hand with uninhibited freedom. Boldly wielding unconventional materials such as nail varnish, wax crayons, sand, pens, natural pigments and gold leaf, she brings her visions to life through dynamic brushstrokes and vibrant colors.
Each piece is a harmonious symphony, a crescendo of artistic expression that reaches its completion when she instinctively steps back, allowing the artwork to breathe and evolve independently. This organic approach to creation is a testament to Alma’s trust in the inherent power of art to communicate and resonate with viewers on a profound level.
Alma’s artwork has garnered international acclaim, with critics and audiences alike marveling at the depth and complexity of her creations. As one London-based art critic aptly described, “Alma’s artwork is as if looking through a microscope at cellular life forms, but simultaneously looking through a telescope at Cosmic Creation.” This duality—the ability to capture the intimate details of life while simultaneously evoking the grandeur of the universe—is a hallmark of Fakhre’s artistic genius.
At the Venice Biennale, two striking mirror pieces in the exhibition revolve around the concept of travel, exploring what we take with us and what we leave behind. They depict the essential elements we seek: toilets, money, a place to sleep represented by a nest with eggs, food symbolized by a kitchen with cooking utensils and shrines for prayer. In the companion piece, the ancestral relief behind an array of perfumes evokes the scents of the countries from which we are exiled. Fakhre speaks of exile as being exiled from the source, from creation, emphasizing that while we are all in exile, we are foreigners nowhere.
The Venice Biennale’s Grenada Pavilion at the Albrizzi Palace serves as a stunning backdrop for Alma’s latest exhibition, a powerful testament to her ability to transcend borders and unite souls through art. The theme of the Biennale, “Foreigners Everywhere,” resonates deeply with her own experiences and the message she seeks to convey through her work—that while we may all be foreigners in some sense, we are also inextricably connected by our shared humanity and our quest for spiritual nourishment.
